Part 14 (1/2)

And nohat disappointone for nothing! Even if the ”Terror” was still upon the lake, to find her, reach her and capture her, was beyond our power, and it nized beyond all human power

We stood there, Wells and I, corined, went tra any trace that had been left behind

Posted there, at the ed scarcely a word What need was there of words to enable us to understand each other! After our eagerness and our despair, ere now exhausted Defeated in our well-planned atten, as ere unable to continue it

Nearly an hour slipped by We could not resolve to leave the place

Our eyes still sought to pierce the night Solimmer, due to the sparkle of the waters, trembled on the surface of the lake

Then it vanished, and with it the foolish hope that it had roused

Soainst the dark, the silhouette of an approaching boat Yet again some eddies would swirl up at our feet, as if the Creek had been stirred within its depths These vain is were dissipated one after the other They were but the illusions raised by our strained fancies

At length our co new?”

”Nothing,” said John Hart

”You have explored both banks of the Creek?”

”Yes,” responded Nab Walker, ”as far as the shalloater above; and we have not seen even a vestige of the things which Mr Wells saw laid on the shore”

”Let us wait awhile,” said I, unable to resolve upon a return to the woods

At that itation of the waters, which swelled upward at the foot of the rocks

”It is like the swell from a vessel,” said Wells

”Yes,” said I, instinctively lowering my voice ”What has caused it?

The wind has co on the surface of the lake?”

”Or fro forward, the better to determine

The commotion certainly seemed as if caused by so the creek from outside upon the lake

Silent, motionless, we strained eyes and ears to pierce the profound obscurity The faint noise of the waves of the lake lapping on the shore beyond the creek, caht John Hart and Nab Walker drew a little aside upon a higher ridge of rocks

As for itation It did not lessen On the contrary it becauish a sort of regular throbbing, like that produced by a screw inclose totoward us”

”There certainly is,” responded I, ”unless they have whales or sharks in Lake Erie”

”No, it is a boat,” repeated Wells ”Is she headed toward thefurther up it?”

”This is just where you saw the boat twice before?”

”Yes, just here”

”Then if this is the same one, and it can be no other, she will probably return to the sa his hand toward the entrance of the creek